The global initiative 6 Degrees brings some of the most urgent questions of our time to the Pierre Boulez Saal:

We need to fight the rising forces of division. We need to come together against populism, xenophobia, and unilateralism. We are living an era of unprecedented change, and are failing to deal with the urgent challenges of our time. 6 Degrees is here to confront global anxieties by connecting leaders to each other, and to a common goal. Current models of integration are deficient, and we need to move toward true inclusion.

6 Degrees is a global conversation about inclusion. We involve the brightest minds and the boldest methods, bringing thinkers, doers, artists, politicians, and civil society together in a unique forum.

Join us. Be part of this global movement.

Featuring:

Mayor of Athens, Giorgos Kaminis; internationally acclaimed artist Ai Weiwei; celebrated writer Bernhard Schlink; 26th Governor General of Canada, The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson; internationally-renowned essayist and novelist John Ralston Saul; President of Europa Nostra, Hermann Parzinger; social scientist Naika Foroutan; award-winning writer Dany Laferrière; Gunda Werner Institute’s Ines Kappert; and many more.

360: Where We Stand

We live in a time of change. Climate issues, technology, and mass movements of people are an everyday reality, resulting in a more complex relationship to each other, and more complex allegiances to place and identity.

Established institutions and frameworks are struggling to accommodate this complexity. Public debate is increasingly emotional, social trust is in question. Some institutions are under serious threat of breaking. As societies confront these challenges, we are facing resurgent xenophobia, populism, and divisive pressures. Unilateralism is on the rise.

How do we confront these challenges? How can we move past our current deficient models of integration towards true inclusion?

360: Where We Go

We need to deal with the rising forces of division. We need new approaches to fundamental questions of belonging, inclusion, and social resilience. Using the wrong language distorts thought, and leads to bad policy. To combat these forces of division, we must work to create better language, inspire better thinking, and drive better policy. We need new forms of social and civic engagement to help people to live and work together.

How do we foster belonging? What models are working globally?

Art and Protest

“Everything is art,” Ai Weiwei has said.  “Everything is politics.”

Art, in its many forms, serves more than mere aesthetics. It represents identity and community, dreams and ideals, activism and protest. It captures the spirit and struggles of a time and place, and the fight for freedom of expression, common ground, and human rights. This session will look at how artists have been at the cutting edge of social change throughout history, reflecting the times they live in by dealing with urgent issues while creating and challenging ideas of beauty and perfection.

Conversations in English. Simultaneous German translation will be available, with headphones provided. A valid photo ID (or alternatively €50) must be presented as security deposit.